Chapter 17: Victory is always on …

But somewhere far away, Caitlin heard her sister’s voice calling out to her. She thought she might be hallucinating from fear, but James’s reaction made it clear that wasn’t the case.

“What the hell is going on here? Is someone interfering with us again?” He was furious that his plans had been thwarted for the second time.

“Sis, run away from here!” Caitlin shouted at the top of her lungs, only to receive a heavy blow to the head. The impact knocked her momentarily unconscious. When she came to, her sister Maggie was beside her, placing a concerned hand on her shoulder.

“Cate, are you okay?” Maggie asked, looking her directly in the eyes.

“Yeah, I… What happened?” Caitlin struggled to her feet, feeling a throbbing pain in her head.

“It’s over, Cate. Detective Johnson arrived just in time. He called for backup when he heard that you went out for a walk together. And thanks to your signal, we found you even faster. Don’t worry, James is arrested,” Maggie spoke calmly, trying to reassure her sister.

Caitlin glanced at the arrested James, who was resisting the police, shouting obscenities. Mixed emotions filled her heart – relief that it was all over, and fear at how close she had come to danger.

“Thank you, Maggie. You saved me,” Caitlin whispered, embracing her sister.

“No, sis, you saved a bunch of innocent victims who could have suffered from that monster. Detective Johnson had long suspected him, but unfortunately couldn’t find the evidence,” Maggie replied.

Now that all the hardships were behind her and Caitlin continued her life after this absurd and frightening event, she occasionally recalls her dream. Before, she hadn’t paid much attention to it, but now everything became clear, as if in the scorching sun. All those men who helped her in the dream deal with this psychopath James had common traits with that very monster. The bartender with his charming smile and cute curls, the teenager with a figure and height similar to James’s. And the last man – it was his psychological state. It was the madness that Caitlin remembered, and the same Cheshire cat smile that sometimes flickers in her own room in the dark hours of life.

Nothing passes without a trace, but one can come to terms with it, embracing each day, overcoming fears, and facing one’s imperfections. Caitlin learned to see in every shadow not only a threat but also an opportunity for growth, and in her heart, she knows that every day lived makes her stronger and wiser.